300k Walk With The Holy Child

An estimated of Three hundred thousand devotees of Señor Santo Niño de Cebu attended this year’s annual ‘Walk with Jesus’.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella were among those thousands of devotees who partook in the religious activity which started the first day of the 9-day Novena Masses for the annual Fiesta Señor celebration.

The city dads attended the event both as a devotees of Holy Child and as a hands-on leaders of this Queen City of the South ensuring the smooth flow of the activity, safety and security of everyone.

Meanwhile, bringing with them the images of the Baby Jesus, thousands of devotees flocked and flooded the procession route from Fuente Rotunda to the Basilica del Santo Niño which kicked off at 4 o’clock dawn January 7, 2016 Thursday.

The penitential procession lasted for more than an hour before the carroza, which bears the Holy Child’s image arrived at the Pilgrim Center. A Holy Rosary was prayed during the two-kilometer prayer walk.

Right after the solemn procession, the first Novena Mass followed and was officiated by Fr. Jonas Mejares, the rector of the Basilica del Santo Niño. It was concelebrated by close to 50 priests.

The first Novena Mass was highlighted by the installation of Hermano and Hermana Mayor for this year, the Businessman Mario King and wife Haydee who also joined in the procession.

The activity which turned out to be a huge success kicked off the 451st Fiesta Señor celebration. This year’s Fiesta Señor festivity bears the theme, “Santo Niño : Wellspring of Mercy and Compassion,” coinciding with the Catholic Church celebration of Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy as declared by Pope Francis. (Cebu City Public Information Office PIO/Greggy Jiggs P. Senados)